Apparatus for Separating Liquid and Solid Material from a Mixture

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a device for separating liquid and solid material from a mixture which includes a filter cloth for allowing through the liquid and holding back the solid material; a carrier belt for supporting the filter cloth with the mixture thereon, wherein the carrier belt is provided with one or more openings close to at least one of the side edges or at least eccentrically thereof; a support construction for supporting the carrier belt movable relative thereto; and a suction box arranged under the support construction and/or on the side of the carrier belt and connected to the optional openings in the carrier belt for extracting liquid from the mixture.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/312,274, filed Jul. 17, 2003, which is the United States national phase of International Application No. PCT/NL01/00469, filed Jun. 22, 2001, which designated, inter alia, the United States, and which claimed the benefit of Netherlands Application No. 1015502, filed Jun. 22, 2000.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to separation of fluids from solids, and, in particular, apparatus and methods for separation of fluids from solids using lateral and lower extraction through a belt.

2. Description of Related Art

Devices for separating liquids and solids have been marketed for many years. A first type of device thereof is provided with a suction box co-displacing with a filter cloth and making a reciprocating movement.

In another device, side boxes are situated close to a side edge of a carrier belt for the filter cloth, and the liquids are sucked through channels in the carrier belt to the suction boxes. This latter device has the advantage over the above-mentioned first device in that the suction boxes can be of relatively simple design, since they are placed in stationary position. Due to the arrangement close to the edges, the suction boxes are readily accessible for inspection, cleaning and maintenance.

In this known second device, the sealing of the carrier belt relative to the suction box is a problem. The possible solutions to this problem are costly and/or require frequent maintenance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a device for separating liquid and solid material from a mixture, comprising:

-   -   a filter cloth for allowing through the liquid and holding back         the solid material;     -   a carrier belt for supporting the filter cloth with the mixture         thereon, wherein the carrier belt is provided with one or more         openings close to at least one of the side edges or at least         eccentrically thereof;     -   a support construction for supporting the carrier belt movable         relative thereto; and     -   a suction box arranged under the support construction and/or on         the side of the carrier belt and connecting to the openings in         the carrier belt for extracting liquid from the mixture,     -   wherein the carrier belt has a ribbed profile, between the ribs         of which channels extend to the side edges thereof, wherein the         carrier belt is of plastic or rubber and provided with a heel         part and wherein one or more openings are arranged in the heel         part, wherein the suction boxes are provided with a connection         for discharging volatile constituents from the mixture.

Further advantages, features and details of the present invention will be elucidated on the basis of the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the annexed drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In a device 1 (FIGS. 1 and 2), a filter cloth 2 and a rubber belt 3 placed thereunder and provided with channels 4 are trained round rollers 5,6, at least one of which is driven. Disposed along the edges in stationary position under carrier belt 3 are suction boxes 7, 8 which are provided on the underside with a discharge connection 9 respectively 10 for discharging the liquid sucked through filter cloth 2, while the suction boxes are provided on the top side with suction connection 11 respectively 12, whereby a further separation between volatile constituents of the liquid and less volatile constituents thereof also takes place in suction boxes 7, 8.

The liquid is sucked out of mixture M as according to arrows A, B and C into the suction boxes via openings 13 in carrier belt 3, wherein between carrier belt 3 and suction boxes 7 respectively 8 are arranged seals 14 respectively 15 of wear-resistant material and relatively simple manufacture.

As shown particularly in FIG. 2, the carrier belt is provided on both edges with heel parts 16 respectively 17 in order to ensure that the liquid enters the openings 13 via the arrows. The carrier belt is sealed on the upper side relative to the fixedly disposed construction 20 using seals 18 respectively 19.

In a further preferred embodiment as shown in FIG. 3, the suctions boxes 37, 38 are arranged in stationary position on the sides of carrier belt 3, wherein the suction boxes are again provided on the underside with discharge connections 39 respectively 40 for discharging liquid sucked through filter cloth 2, said boxes being provided on the top side with suction connections 41 respectively 42 whereby a separation between volatile constituents of the liquid and less volatile constituents thereof also takes place in suction boxes 37, 38. The carrier belt lies at both sides on seals 44, 45 of a wear-resistant material, such as for instance Teflon®, which is situated on supports 46, 47 fixed to suction boxes 37, 38. In order to discharge the liquid sucked through filter cloth 2, channels 43, 44 are made in the outer ends of the carrier belt and/or heel parts 16 respectively 17, which channels connect onto elongate opening parts 50, 51 on the side of suction boxes 37, 38. Situated on the sloping upper part of the suction boxes are shoulder parts 48 respectively 49 of a wear-resistant material with a low coefficient of friction, such as for instance Teflon®, on which the filter cloth 2 supports and along which this cloth is pulled.

In a further embodiment (not shown) of the present invention, suction boxes are disposed in stationary position under and on the side of the carrier belt. This embodiment is therefore a combination of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described preferred embodiment thereof; the rights sought are rather defined by the following claims, within the scope of which many modifications can be envisaged. 

1. A device for separating liquid and solid material from a mixture, comprising: a filter cloth for allowing through the liquid and holding back the solid material; a carrier belt for supporting the filter cloth with the mixture thereon, wherein the carrier belt is provided with one or more openings close to at least one of the side edges or at least eccentrically thereof; a support construction for supporting the carrier belt movable relative thereto; and a suction box arranged under the support construction and/or on the side of the carrier belt and connected to the openings in the carrier belt for extracting liquid from the mixture, wherein the carrier belt has a ribbed profile, between the ribs of which channels extend to the side edges thereof, wherein the carrier belt is of plastic or rubber and provided with a heel part and wherein one or more openings are arranged in the heel part, wherein the suction boxes are provided with a connection for discharging volatile constituents from the mixture.
 2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a suction box is arranged under and/or adjacently of the openings on only one side.
 3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier belt has a width of more than 1.5-2 meters, and suction boxes are placed on both sides of the carrier belt.
 4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier belt has a thickness of about 25-30 cm.
 5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the openings are situated in the region between the outer edge and a quarter of the width of the carrier belt.
 6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the suction box is provided with a closable hatch for inspection and/or maintenance purposes.
 7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein on one or both sides of the carrier belt is arranged a suction box with openings therein which connect onto the openings in the heel part for suction therethrough of liquid out of the mixture.
 8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a shoulder is arranged on the suction box for supporting the filter cloth and along which this cloth is displaceable.
 9. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the shoulder is situated between the filter cloth and the side of the suction box.
 10. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a support is situated on the suction box for supporting the carrier belt. 